# LivingWriter vs Novelist (2026): Free Alternative to LivingWriter

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/livingwriter-vs-novelist
Last updated: 2026-08-11

Compare LivingWriter ($15/mo) vs Novelist ($0/mo free alternative to LivingWriter). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | LivingWriter | Novelist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $15/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $180/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $900/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $1,800/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | proprietary, free |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Local |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | Projects are kept in the app/browser's local storage; backups can be exported to device storage or a user-selected cloud provider such as Google Drive, and manuscripts export as EPUB, ODT, or HTML |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ $0 forever |
| Code Repository | None | — |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | It is an excellent free mobile planner, but it is not as capable a full desktop manuscript editor and lacks LivingWriter's cloud collaboration and publishing workflow. |

## About Novelist
A genuinely free mobile novel planner with boards, scenes, goals, history, and no ad slot lurking under the keyboard.

- **Installation**: Install from Google Play or the App Store, or open the companion web app in a browser
- **Data Storage**: Projects are kept in the app/browser's local storage; backups can be exported to device storage or a user-selected cloud provider such as Google Drive, and manuscripts export as EPUB, ODT, or HTML
- **Supported Platforms**: mobile, web, one-click install
- **The Catch vs LivingWriter**: It is an excellent free mobile planner, but it is not as capable a full desktop manuscript editor and lacks LivingWriter's cloud collaboration and publishing workflow.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from LivingWriter to Novelist eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$180/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$900/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$1,800/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Novelist a good free alternative to LivingWriter?
Yes. Novelist is a verified free replacement for LivingWriter. A genuinely free mobile novel planner with boards, scenes, goals, history, and no ad slot lurking under the keyboard.

### What is the catch when switching from LivingWriter to Novelist?
It is an excellent free mobile planner, but it is not as capable a full desktop manuscript editor and lacks LivingWriter's cloud collaboration and publishing workflow.

## Related

- [All LivingWriter Alternatives](https://caniforkit.com/livingwriter)
- [Novelist Full Profile](https://caniforkit.com/fork/novelist)
- [writing tools Category Hub](https://caniforkit.com/category/writing-assistant)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)